Overview

• A new WHO report finds conditions affecting the brain impact more than one in three people worldwide and are linked to about 11 million deaths annually.
• Stroke, migraine, Alzheimer’s and other dementias, meningitis, idiopathic epilepsy and other disorders rank among the top contributors to death and disability.
• Only 63 countries have a national policy for neurological disorders, and just 34 report dedicated funding to address them.
• Essential care remains limited, with only 49 countries covering neurological disorders in universal health coverage and low-income nations having over 80 times fewer neurologists than high‑income countries.
• WHO urges governments to expand access, build the workforce, strengthen monitoring, boost research funding, and support caregivers, noting only 46 countries offer caregiver services and 44 have legal protections.